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It's not false advertising to say that mother's milk is nature's perfect food — and it's no overstatement either. Just as cow's milk is the ideal food for calves and goat's milk the best supper for kids (of the goatish variety), your breast milk is exquisitely tailored to meet the nutritional needs of a newborn human, which tops the list of the advantages of breastfeeding. Human breast milk contains at least 100 ingredients that can't be found in cow's milk — and even top-notch manufacturers have yet to duplicate Mother Nature's formula. Another one of the big benefits of breastfeeding is that it's easy on your baby's delicate tummy, too — breastfed babies' dirty diapers are notoriously less nasty than those of their formula-fed nursery mates (and nursed newborns suffer far less frequently from constipation and almost never from diarrhea). Some babies might be allergic to cow's milk (or soy alternatives), but the odds are slim that your baby's body will object to much about your milk (except not being able to get to it fast enough), though you do need to watch what you eat — if beans are in your diet, for instance, you can wind up with a gassy baby.

Also among the benefits of breastfeeding is that your milk has a lower protein content, which makes it easier for your baby to digest, and its chief protein (lactalbumin) is both more nutritious and more readily broken down than the primary protein in cow's milk (caseinogen).The fats in your milk separate more easily, which is part of the explanation for those sweeter-smelling soiled nappies (as impossible as it may be to believe, the odor really isn't off-putting — at least until solid foods come your baby's way). Finally, unlike bottle feeding your baby with formula, where the milk is the same from feeding to feeding and can to can, the milk your body makes will change in composition in response to your baby's needs (and change in taste based on the foods you're eating). Here's more about the advantages of breastfeeding for your baby.

Why Your Baby Benefits From Breastfeeding

Protection from infection: Breastfed babies are far less likely to suffer from ear infections, respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, and other common childhood illnesses, in large part because their immune system is bolstered by antibodies and other immune-boosting factors that are passed from the mom through her milk. Colostrum, the protein-rich, low-fat premilk produced by your breasts before real milk comes in, is particularly rich in these healthy ingredients. There are also no worries about bacterial beasties when it comes to breastfeeding your baby: Breast milk is always sterile, no boiling required.

Freedom from flab: Chubbiness may be cute, but it's not necessarily a sign of better health, and nursing reduces the risk of excess poundage on your pumpkin. While breastfed babies tend to be leaner than formula-fed babies, their weight gain is steady and appropriate. And it's not just detrimental for Mama's back to haul around a hefty tyke: Studies show that carrying extra weight as a baby is linked to obesity later in life.

Brainier babes: Studies show a slight but statistically significant increase in the IQ of breastfed babies compared with those fed formula. One possible reason is that breast milk contains the fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which is important for brain development. Another brainy benefit of breastfeeding — all those hours of skin-on-skin contact with Mom are also great for your baby's cognitive and emotional development (in addition to just making your baby feel nurtured and safe).

Mighty mouths: Rubber and silicone nipples offer flimsy resistance to a baby's sucks compared with the breast. Because they have to work extra hard for their breakfast, breastfed babies build stronger jaws and have well-developed teeth and palates (in addition to fewer cavities later in life!).

A taste for Thai? Want your baby to be an adventurous eater? Start at the breast. Cutting those little taste buds on breast milk, which takes on the flavor of whatever’s in your breastfeeding diet, acclimates a baby early on to a world of flavors beyond pablum. Researchers have found (and so have moms) that nursed babies are less likely to be timid in their tastes than their formula-fed peers once they graduate to the high chair — and more likely to open wide for that spoonful of yams (or that forkful, later on, of curry).

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